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Old 09-01-2019, 08:23 PM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
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Well, OK - but I still wonder if she's basing this idea that there's no sun on a memory or reputation that isn't really so. People have really selective memory of the weather, as recently as last week. People remember what they want to remember.

I should get a grant and study this phenomenon, because I really think it's true. We have people here right now who think it's way too rainy and way too gray and way to hot and dry, all at the same time. I find it very amusing.

But if that's not it, then I guess I'd have to ask, if you think you don't like the weather here.... why again are we moving here?
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Old 09-01-2019, 09:05 PM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We have been here 26 years and explored all over, and I can tell you with certainty that there is no place with a lot of sun and little snow within 90 minutes of Seattle. As others have mentioned, those places with a lot of sun within 90 minutes are just over the mountains and get lots of snow. The Olympic rain shadow areas are also more than 90 minutes, and their sun is not the same as eastern WA, the reputation is exaggerated because many sunny days are only with a couple of hours of sun in the afternoon when the overcast burns off.
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Old 09-01-2019, 09:55 PM
 
Location: WA Desert, Seattle native
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140 View Post
We have been here 26 years and explored all over, and I can tell you with certainty that there is no place with a lot of sun and little snow within 90 minutes of Seattle. As others have mentioned, those places with a lot of sun within 90 minutes are just over the mountains and get lots of snow. The Olympic rain shadow areas are also more than 90 minutes, and their sun is not the same as eastern WA, the reputation is exaggerated because many sunny days are only with a couple of hours of sun in the afternoon when the overcast burns off.
Yes, this is generally correct. Sunshine is common most of the day along a line from Omak south to Ephrata down to west of the Tri-Cities. There is a pocket west into Yakima that get ample sunshine as well. But the east slopes of the Cascades, including Wenatchee and Ellensburg get more snowfall due to higher elevation and closer proximity to the Cascade range.

There are indeed anomalies. This past February caused a rare 3-4 week snow event that extended into the Tri-Cities. Very unusual, and not statistically likely again soon.
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Old 09-01-2019, 11:14 PM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,174 posts, read 16,562,313 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pnwguy2 View Post
Yes, this is generally correct. Sunshine is common most of the day along a line from Omak south to Ephrata down to west of the Tri-Cities. There is a pocket west into Yakima that get ample sunshine as well. But the east slopes of the Cascades, including Wenatchee and Ellensburg get more snowfall due to higher elevation and closer proximity to the Cascade range.

There are indeed anomalies. This past February caused a rare 3-4 week snow event that extended into the Tri-Cities. Very unusual, and not statistically likely again soon.
So it seems all are in agreement that there is no place within 90 minutes of Seattle that is significantly sunnier.

I guess as one moves further east of the Cascades things change more climatically becoming more of a desert like climate. So more sun, but also greater fluctuations in temps without being moderated by the Pacific/Sound as much.

While not within 90 minutes of Seattle places like Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Chelen, Cashmere, etc, seem to get more sun than Seattle along with other factors like more snow. I'm basing this on looking at 'sunny day' stats (from CD and other websites) which is a whole topic in and of itself. But generally they do seem to have more sun closer to the national average of ~200 days.

Seattle:




Wenatchee (sunnIER ):




* Caveat: I do question some these online stats regarding sunny weather reports. I'm not sure what metrics or definitions they are using for their charts or numbers *but*:
1. They are wildly different yet all based upon some kind of sun measurement data or interpretation of that data.
2. They do not always reflect my real world experiences in the given cities after living in them. So I take them with a Big grain of salt.


Derek

Last edited by MtnSurfer; 09-02-2019 at 12:34 AM..
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Old 09-01-2019, 11:41 PM
 
Location: WA Desert, Seattle native
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Yes but the true sunbelt leans toward SE Washington and the Columbia Basin. Tri cities actually has 300 days of sunshine without having to lie about it!
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Old 09-02-2019, 12:21 AM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pnwguy2 View Post
Yes but the true sunbelt leans toward SE Washington and the Columbia Basin. Tri cities actually has 300 days of sunshine without having to lie about it!
Speaking of lying about it, there a big fiasco and back story regarding Bend's claim to 300 sunny days per year which drew so many from far and wide. Those are the kinds of slogans or claims to fame that the masses REALLY latch onto when you talk to folks about climate. Its amazing how popular a talking or bragging point those are even if somewhat exaggerated. I mean, the same thing is true for the Olympic Rain Shadow which conjured up the Myth that Sequim sees 300+ sunny days a year. Bandon's Banana Belt is another and on and on it goes.

There's a pretty crazy obsession with sun along with all kinds of things that realtors, chambers of commerce and others conjure up to appeal to the masses. 300 days seems like the golden number that gets stuck in people's head even a myth, lie or far stretch of definition of terms. "Smoked but didn't inhale" kinds of silly stuff.

Derek
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Old 09-02-2019, 12:56 AM
 
Location: WA Desert, Seattle native
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I hear you on this topic. The true story is 300 days of sunshine means 75% of daylight is sunshine. Very few areas meet this criteria, but Tri-Cities, WA does. The Tri does become cloudy/foggy from November through March, but the warm season makes up for it with abundant sunshine being east of the Cascade range, and a lower elevation in South Central Washington. Temps are above the western WA numbers by about 15-20 degrees from May though September. Can get hot, but most have AC here.
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Old 09-02-2019, 03:33 PM
 
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The sunniest place on the western side is Sequim which you can read about here:
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2011/...n-western.html

But that's not to say it's some sunny paradise (it's not) just sunnier than the rest of the western side of the state.
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Old 09-03-2019, 11:37 PM
 
Location: WA Desert, Seattle native
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Yeah I love Sequim and they have the right to claim “sunniest” in western Washington. It is located at a perfect point within the Olympic rain shadow. But as you say, it is all relative to the normal weather around it. That said both nearby Port Angeles and Port Townsend also have similarly low rainfall for western WA.
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Old 09-04-2019, 02:41 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,548 posts, read 57,460,499 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fluffydelusions View Post
The sunniest place on the western side is Sequim which you can read about here:
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2011/...n-western.html

But that's not to say it's some sunny paradise (it's not) just sunnier than the rest of the western side of the state.
WARNING: Less rain does not = more sun.

For the dreary PNW.... find wind patterns, south face hills, few trees, and elevation to assist in LESS Dreary.

SunnIER cities in Washington will likely be a more remote area, but still dreary (from a SUNNY perspective. "warming" Sunshine in Winter is rare in PNW, but daily in many very nice places nearby but not in WA.

Lots of Snow in WA?... Maybe Hurricane Ridge and Mt Baker.

For most living areas even in eastern WA, heavy accumulations are not that frequent. Spokane gets a few 24"+, but not very many. Most of WA is very moderate for winter accumulations (Wind patterns, elevation, storm shadows are more intense areas). Very easy to avoid living in those few areas.

Friends in Ione, WA (Snow shadow if mtn range / and north... near BC) live with 3' on the ground most of the winter, but seldom huge snowfalls.
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